US general in Israel to finalize missile drill

Jerusalem Post

AFP photo

Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, who commands the United States' Third Air Force based in Germany, visited Israel to finalize preparations for the missile defense drill, Jerusalem Post reported.  

The drill will be the largest ever conducted, the report said, with thousands of U.S. troops slated to be deployed in Israel.  

U.S. command posts will be established in Israel and Israeli Army command posts will be established at EUCOM headquarters in Germany "with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces in the event of a large-scale conflict in the Middle East," Jerusalem Post reported.

The U.S. is to bring in its Terminal High Altitude Defense (THAAD) and Aegis ballistic missile defense systems to simulate the interception of missile salvos against Israel. The U.S. systems are expected to work in conjunction with Israel's missile defense systems, the Arrow, Patriot and Iron Dome.